Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Episode 5- A Hideous Trap
by Steel Kiba
Summary: Tracey looks to improve his combat skills without the aid of his powers, but he faces a tough test when Rita sends Shihan Hideous, a monstrous martial arts master, to attack him and the other Power Rangers. Can the Blue Ranger engineer a solution to this new terror? And why is Rita pursuing Hayashi? Ash, Misty, Brock, Tracey, OC Lia, OC Hayashi, Rita, and her monsters!
1. Feeling Blue

At Feron Grove High School, most of the classrooms housed not just a multitude of students and professors, but a multitude of voices as well. Instructors led their classes in engaging conversations about various subject matter, and the pupils eagerly contributed their knowledge and opinions, fostering a feast of food for thought.

Most classrooms, anyway.

In Room 315, the art studio, there was almost always absolute silence. The tracing of pencils against paper, students moving easels about, and the low whirring of the pottery wheel were usually the only sounds that filled the room. Professor Cyan, the long-haired, big-bearded head of the art department, would silently appraise or critique each student's artwork, offering few words. "Save all that talk for after the bell," he often said. All of that effort talking about art could be spent experimenting with it, so the kids would read up on techniques after school, and the teacher was always available somewhere to discuss their work.

Tracey Matthews was one of those in his advanced studio art class. He always introduced himself with his artist handle "Sketchit," a name his father responded to by chuckling and saying, "Really?" Now, the young man was bent over his large sketch pad, his drawing pencil smoothly gliding across the white paper. His brow was furrowed tightly under his headband, his jaw tightening as he drew.

Professor Cyan was striding around the room, surveying the busy teenagers and occasionally nodding when he saw their drawings. He soon came up to Tracey and looked over his shoulder, and the boy immediately turned away from his project. The professor eyed the picture carefully—a diamond-shaped shield with several dents and chinks in it. The middle was smooth and reflective, showing the image of a boy's hard face.

"Interesting," Professor Cyan said.

Tracey shrugged. "You said to draw a reflection piece. I don't really do a lot of those," he answered.

"At least literally," the instructor said back, cocking his head to the side and walking off. Tracey turned back to his work to finish the shadowing, his jaw tight as ever.

Later that afternoon, the last bell had already rung an hour and a half before, but Tracey was just walking into the Feron Grove Union. The computer club meeting ran a little late, and he was trying to get all of the talk about macros out of his head as he approached the counter. He took a seat near Darren, who was handling the smoothie stand that day.

"Hey, Tracey," he greeted, handing a couple of kids their change. "What's up? You look a little out of it."

"Everything, Darren," the boy replied, breathing a sigh and shoving his hands in the pockets of his blue overalls. "Busy as ever. Looks like you are, too."

"Yep," Darren said, running a hand over his dark goatee. "My counterman's out, so guess who the chillmaster is?" Tracey laughed and Darren continued. "I got this new apple-berry smoothie you gotta try, man. I'll fix you one."

"Thanks, man." Tracey turned to face the workout area. Hayashi was leading the advanced self-defense karate class, demonstrating a choke and grappling escape drill to one of the red belts. Lia was also there practicing with another junior black belt, breaking the grip around her throat with a spread double-knifehand block and taking him down with an armbar. She recovered and met Tracey's sight, giving him a thumbs-up. The young man returned the gesture, but as his friend turned, he put his own hand to his throat, remembering how he was caught in that similar, helpless situation a few days ago and the terrible words Goldar had spoken to him.

_"You think you worms will continue to insult me with your shoddy combat skills?!"_

_"No, Goldar," _Tracey said to himself, clenching a fist. _"I won't."_


	2. Broken Communication

_Tap, tap, tap._

Thick, golden, razor-sharp claws tapping on metal reverberated throughout the entire Moon Palace. Goldar, Rita Repulsa's chief warrior, stood at the huge balcony facing Earth alone, drumming his fingers on the coppery iron railing. He was the only creature in the room, but everyone could surely hear his contemplative noises. The beast roared and slammed his fist on the rail, nearly rattling the entire room.

"I'm going to kill him!" Goldar growled, stomping his way into Finster's monster workshop. He startled the goat-like alien, who was carefully sculpting something out of space clay, making him slice the mold across the top.

"Oh…my…" Finster said timidly. "What was that for, you golden galoot?"

Squatt, who was standing nearby, went over to the clay model with some sculpting tools. "Yeah, Goldar. Who are you gonna kill?"

"That weakling Blue Ranger!" Goldar replied, pushing Finster aside. "I had him right in my hands! I saw his stupid life draining from his eyes! But he escaped and has been cluing those humans in about the Dino Crystals!"

"Technically, didn't the Pink Ranger help him out?" Squatt said quietly, pushing and pulling the space clay quickly.

"Silence!" the warrior bellowed, making Squatt jump back.

Suddenly, a figure in brown billowing robes strode into the room—someone the monsters didn't want to disturb.

"What are you yelling about?!" Rita Repulsa screamed, jabbing a finger into Goldar's chest; she was clutching something tightly in her other hand. "I cannot concentrate on bringing forth our newest warrior with you yammering on and on!"

"You don't need him…" Goldar said in a low voice, trying to calm himself in the face of his ruler. "I will go down and destroy the Blue Ranger…"

"Please," the empress chortled. "You haven't been able to defeat any of the Power Rangers at any time. Why should I let you go down and take on just one now?"

"My queen, Goldar does have a point." Finster spoke up. "While young Tracey is easily the least impressive of the group from a fighting standpoint, he does possess the greatest technical mind of the five. By targeting and subduing him alone, the other Power Rangers would be left to scramble for strategies and would be at a disadvantage."

"Interesting…" Rita mused, stroking her chin. "You and Goldar are actually onto something."

"Wowee!" Squatt squealed, throwing up his fat blue hands in joy. "And I've got the perfect monster to get him, too!" The warthog-like alien turned the clay figure he took from Finster around to face the court.

"What?" Finster exhaled. "What did you do?"

"Squatt did _that_?" Goldar asked, his eyes growing wide.

"Well, not without my work!" Finster interrupted, getting in Squatt's face.

"Enough, all of you!" Rita demanded, silencing all of the creatures. "You all take care of Tracey, and then go after his friends." The evil empress then left the room, opening her left hand and flipping a golden coin in her hand. "_He_ will be able to finish them off…"

"I just don't know what to do at this point…"

Tracey trudged along the sidewalk next to Lia. It was a little after 5:00, but Hayashi still had one more karate class to wrap up, so Tracey decided to accompany Lia home.

"It seems pretty simple, Tracey," Lia said, shrugging one shoulder. "We can help you improve your defense skills. Just step in on one of the classes. I'm sure you can make time. Wait…"

The young man sighed along with the wind that blew across the ground, kicking around autumn leaves under the low sunlight. "Yeah, between all the schoolwork and clubs, I've barely got time to hang with you guys now."

Lia smiled, adjusting her two pink and white wristbands. "Being an on-call superhero doesn't help free up time either, huh?"

"Wouldn't trade it for anything, though," Tracey said, shifting his backpack. "That reminds me, I've got to help Alpha calibrate the bio-scanners. I'm just glad my dad's working late."

"Speaking of a dad…" Lia interjected, stopping in her tracks. The two saw a pair of people jogging down the sidewalk in front of them, both with short raven hair and lightly tanned skin. One of them was Ash, but the other one was somebody Tracey hadn't seen before.

The two males stopped right in front of the boy and the girl, Ash sweating profusely and panting.

"Hey, guys," Ash said, wiping his brow. "What's up?"

"Just finished karate class," Lia responded. "Looks like your workout's just started."

"Not really, Lia," the other man cut in cheerfully. He looked exactly like Ash facially, except his hair was a little lengthier up front and in the back. "Only a couple miles to go. This is the first day Ash has kept up with me all the way. He'll be leaving me way behind soon."

"Oh yeah," Ash said, straightening up and stretching his legs, a firm look on his face. "You won't even be past the house and I'll be on the other side of town."

Tracey laughed, but then stopped to take in the person in front of him. "Wait, you're…"

"Red Ketchum," the man introduced, shaking Tracey's hand. "And don't even think of calling me 'mister.' A friend of Ash's is a friend of mine."

"Well, it's great to finally meet you," Tracey replied. _Everyone _knew who that man was.

"Hey, why don't you guys come over later?" Ash asked. "I could sure use your help on that equations assignment we got."

"Sorry, man," Lia said. "I'm up to my neck in history stuff as it is."

"Yeah, and I've already gotta help my friend _Al_ with something today," Tracey said. Ash immediately understood him and nodded.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Red said, clapping his son's back. "You can take care of it yourself. I know you can. Come on." Red edged himself out of everyone's way and resumed his jog. Ash tilted his head and closed his eyes, then went to join him, Tracey and Lia watching them curiously.

"Huh…"

"Yeah…" Lia said, turning her head the way the two had previously arrived from; her house was only a couple more blocks away. "I guess you really have to go."

Tracey closed his eyes and put his hands in his pockets again, looking at a nearby tall tree. "Yup. The coast is already clear, so…"

Lia smiled again and slapped Tracey's shoulder. "Well, have fun. Don't let Alpha get short circuited."

"Right." Tracey said. Lia turned to go home while he ducked behind the tree. Observing the scene again to make sure nobody was around, he pressed the teleportation button on his Communicator, and off he went to the Command Center in a flash of blue light.

As Lia made it to her front door, she remembered her mother telling her to call Hayashi and see when he would be home since karate testing was coming up and classes and preparations ran late. She checked her cell phone, saw that he hadn't responded to her texts yet, and called his phone. It rang and rang, but she only got to his voicemail. Lia tried again, but then the call went immediately to voicemail.

_"No need to call back. I'm sure he'll call back soon," _she thought to herself, opening the door and going inside. _"Besides, that ringtone is too annoying for anyone to let him ignore it."_


	3. Maintenance

The sun was setting over the wide desert that was nestled near the edge of Feron Grove. Huge shadows fell over the landscape as the fading light bounced off of mountainsides and the sides of jagged cliffs. However, only those with a Power Coin could see the shadows cast by the columns of the Power Rangers' hidden fortress, the Command Center.

The inside of the place looked nothing like the outside, as a starry, black backdrop faced a wall of melding, radiant colors, and in the center was a circle of highly advanced computers supported by a smooth purple floor and panels.

Alpha 5, the gold and red robot that helmed the Command Center's computers, bent over one of the terminals, which had its panel disconnected and raised above the computer. Sparks and lights flew from the space as Alpha attempted repairs with one of his gyro tools.

"Hmm…" Tracey hummed, studying the multicolored buttons on one of the other terminals. "I'm sure you tried rerouting the particle flows."

"Affirmative, Tracey," Alpha said, red lights going across the visor of his golden saucer-shaped head. "But our bio-scan sensors are still off kilter."

The human boy pushed his black locks up with his hand and scratched his head, then began pressing buttons. "Let's see… I'm rerouting the flow again just in case, and then I'll try upping the electron output."

"Great idea," Alpha squeaked. "That way…Ahh!" A shower of sparks flew out of the computer the robot was working on, and he stumbled back, his moves a little jittery.

"Alpha!" Tracey shouted. "Are you alright!"

"Ay-yi-yi…" Alpha droned, still shaking a bit.

The good wizard Zordon chuckled from his hyperlocked energy tube. "He'll be alright. He just needs to be more careful from time to time."

"Of course, Zordon," Alpha said to his longtime mentor. "But the servos are back online."

"That is good," Zordon replied. "We are one step closer to fixing our problem, but upon further analysis, repairing the computer may not be enough."

"Why not?" Alpha 5 questioned, finally regaining his composure.

"Recall that the interference with our biological scanner occurred after the last monster attack," Zordon explained, referring to Vitreous. "Our systems also experienced the same issues when King Sphinx unleashed his magic spell."

"Wait," Tracey said, snapping his fingers. "So you're saying magical and life energy is what's causing the problem."

"Precisely," the sage said back.

"Then that's the solution!" the boy exclaimed, drawing his Power Morpher and taking out his Triceratops Power Coin. "While the computer's particulars are rerouted, we can clear the rest of the negative energy away with our Dino Power, provided it's safe."

"Of course it's safe!" Alpha said excitedly. "The Morphing Grid, and by extension the computer, is built on continuous, symbiotic energy flow. Well done, Tracey!"

"Indeed," Zordon cut in. "And by focusing some of my energy as well, we can safely complete the procedure. However, it will take all five Power Coins for this to work. But this work can wait until tomorrow when you and the other Rangers are all well rested. I can still detect larger concentrations of monster energy myself in case of an emergency."

"Great," Tracey exhaled, wiping his eyes with his headband. He kept his head down for a few seconds, shrugging his shoulders.

Zordon closed his eyes for a moment and said, "Something seems to be troubling you, Blue Ranger. What is the matter?"

"Well," the young man began. "It's about the last fight with Goldar, when he had me by the throat."

"Yes," Zordon mused. "It was quite a frightful situation, but you and the other Power Rangers came back strong in the end."

"And that's just it," Tracey spoke, frustration in his voice. "I should have been able to get out of his grip myself, but I needed help! What if the others weren't there?" He turned away from Zordon and Alpha and hung his head. "I'm only good at fighting with weapons and the powers; I really connect with those. But I can't cut it on my own."

"Don't you even say that!" Alpha piped up, pulling on Tracey's shoulder. "That is not true!"

"Alpha is correct, Tracey," Zordon said, getting the human's attention again. "As your friends have said, technique and strength comes with time. And while it is not easy to devote time to strengthening yourself, you certainly can."

Tracey sighed and thought back to his conversation with Lia. How could he make time with everything he had to do?

"I also sense the frustration mounting within you," Zordon continued, making Tracey look back up. "As I have said before, you must be one with yourself and your purpose to be fully effective in the fight against evil."

"I'm trying," Tracey replied, straightening himself up. "But…"

"You must listen to me carefully," the sage cautioned. "Get some rest and come back to the desert outside the Command Center early tomorrow morning, and I am certain you will find the answers you seek."


	4. The Dark Dimension

Everything was a blur, clouded by the moisture in his eyes and the billowing smoke that encircled him.

_Wha…What is this?_

Hayashi could barely open his eyes, sharp pain taking hold of his head. He wiped his eyes and finally opened them to see everything around him, or at least what he could see. He saw smooth, forest green walls with open spaces blocked by bronzed bars that were shaped almost like spider webs. In the center of each "window" was what looked like the gnarled face of some kind of demon, an odd centerpiece for the structures that partially blocked utter blackness dotted with stars.

"What is this place?" Hayashi asked aloud, trying to step forward. He couldn't move an inch, however, and a stinging sensation leapt through his bones, causing him to scream. The young man looked down to see some kind of strange green light forming bonds around his arms and legs. That was something Hayashi did remember. He was walking out of the Feron Grove Union to go home when he caught sight of a strange shadowy figure that darted behind the building. Sensing something strange, Hayashi darted behind the Union to see what was that thing was. All he remembered from then on was a dark, pointed-looking form and a bright flash of the same green light that bound him now.

"I'm glad to see you're finally awake," a devilish voice called out. Hayashi snapped his head up to peer into the smoke in front of him. That same pointed figure from before stepped forward slowly, revealing itself to be a woman in spiky earth-tone robes. "Don't worry. You haven't been out for long, and you'll be back home before the sun sets."

"Who are you?" Hayashi questioned, not daring to move and trigger more pain.

"I am Rita Repulsa, Empress of Evil," Rita announced, going up to a grimacing Hayashi and curling some of his dangling blonde locks around her finger. "And you, my good-looking young man, are going to help me take back the Earth."

"Wait, you're the one the Power Rangers are fighting!" the boy shouted, gasping for air. "Let me go! If you want to fight someone, fight me!"

Rita laughed and ran a hand over Hayashi's face. "No, no, child," she continued, stepping back. "I admire your bravery and skill." She took one side of Hayashi's black karate belt in her hand. "And with your skill, you will prove an excellent asset in not only taking over the world, but killing your brat sister and her friends!"

"How dare you?! You leave her out of this!" Hayashi roared, struggling to move and accepting the shocks. "Why would..."

_No way… Lia… She's a..._

"Yes, Hayashi," Rita cut in as Hayashi realized what was going on the whole time. "Your dear little sister and your new pals have been hiding things from you for a good while now." She raised her wand and kept going. "But if you're really so angry," she stopped and waved her wand, summoning five Putty Patrollers from thin air. "then why don't you let that aggression out?"

Suddenly, Hayashi's bonds disappeared, and he wasted no time in trying to attack Rita, screaming at the top of his lungs and charging the foot soldiers. He immediately floored one with a rising elbow to the jaw, but two Putties took him by the arms while another levied heavy strikes with its hands, which were formed into big spherical boulders. Hayashi roared again as blood escaped his mouth, stomping on the creep's foot and twirling away from his captors. He knocked one down with a twist kick, kneed another in the gut, and threw that Putty into the one that had hammered away at him. The final Putty Patroller came in fast with a bladelike arm, but its target dodged and the blade cut away at the hard green wall. Hayashi then slammed the recovering Putty with two backfists to the face and sent it down with a tornado kick.

With the Putties defeated, Hayashi darted for Rita, who stood still and smiling on the other side of the chamber, obscured by the vapor. But before he could reach her, the boy's arm became trapped in a vice, forcing him to the ground. He looked up to see a huge figure grappling his arm, but was only able to make out its face. Bugged-out eyes hung above a sour-white, lizard-like snout with incomplete rows of jagged teeth. Long, gnarled, matted yellow hair hung over the thing's head, but before Hayashi could take in any more of the monster, he was knocked back with a swift side thrust kick.

"Thank you for calming him down, Shihan Hideous," Rita said. The creature turned to look at his ruler and bowed accordingly. "Now see to your work!" Shihan Hideous bowed yet again and vanished in the smoke.

_"That thing's a martial arts master?" _Hayashi thought to himself, clutching his chest and coughing up a few specks of blood. _"Never mind. I have to get out of here and get to Lia..."_

"Looks like you need some more help if you're going to take on stronger fighters like him and the Power Rangers," Rita taunted, inching closer to Hayashi and opening her left hand. He looked up to see a gleaming golden coin in the witch's palm, which featured an embossed three-toed footprint. "You could do so," Rita continued. "if you just work with me a little."

Hayashi clenched his fist and his teeth, looking at the coin and at Rita. He shook his head and reared back his fist to punch the empress, only to be met with a flash of that familiar green aura, followed by a terrible cackle.


	5. Special Guests

The air was already hot even as the sun barely peeked over the desert horizon. Aside from miles of sand on the ground, Tracey saw nothing in the distance—just emptiness.

"What am I supposed to find out?" he asked himself, taking a drink from his metal water bottle. The boy started walking even further into the wasteland. He teleported just outside the Command Center when it was still dark out and had been trodding outside for at least half an hour. As the empty landscape kept going, so did his thoughts about what he had studied before going to bed the night before.

_When in a choking position, forcefully step out and windmill your arm around the attacker to escape. When grabbed by the shoulders, do the same or try to sink down. Just stomp on the attacker's foot to evade capture._

Suddenly, the ground beneath Tracey began to rumble violently, causing him to nearly fall. However, the young man rooted himself down in a sitting stance, arms in a defensive position.

"No," he said. "I won't fall. I can't!"

Tracey peered into the hazy desert distance, instantly noticing a huge blue figure charging down the sand on treadmill-like wheels. Silver horns stuck out of its bony-crested head, with a blue one forming at the nose below bright red eyes.

"Huh? The Triceratops?" Tracey breathed as the towering machine kept coming at him. Triceratops Dinozord bellowed and slowed to a stop just in front of its pilot, its ruby eyes fixed on him.

Tracey inched a little closer to the Zord, never having the chance to approach it in this way before. The mech stood silently as Tracey looked it over.

"You're even more magnificent up close like this," Tracey said, going back to face the Dinozord. "But how can you help me?"

The Triceratops bellowed again, making the human jump back a little bit.

_"Wait," _Tracey thought._ "Remember what Zordon said. The Dinozords aren't just machines." _He also remembered what the sage told him about the powers that came from his dinosaur spirit.

_Patience and wisdom added to yours._

Tracey closed his eyes and sighed. If he quieted himself and actually practiced patience mentally and physically, there just might be an answer to his problem.

While Tracey was out in the desert, the other Power Rangers had teleported to the Command Center per Zordon's instructions the previous night.

"Power Rangers, thank you for arriving so early," the wizard spoke. "I trust you are well rested for the task ahead."

"No problem," Ash asked, yawning, wincing and holding his head. "Ugh…"

"I guess most of us are," Lia said, laughing a little. "You and my brother need to take it easy once in a while. He came in last night looking the same way, but he said he was 'fine.'"

"You try telling my father that…" Ash mumbled regarding Lia's suggestion.

"Good thing he showed up," Misty added as she looked at the two of them, pulling her burning-red hair back in a ponytail. "So Zordon, how do we fix our scanning system?"

"Yeah, and where's Tracey?" Brock questioned, looking at his watch. "He should have been here by now."

"All four of you can relax for the time being," Zordon explained. "Tracey has been concerned about the last battle, and I have sent him to meditate with the Triceratops Dinozord as a guide."

"I can see why," Brock said, nodding toward Lia. "If you hadn't gotten to us…"

"Forget about it," Lia cut in, bumping fists with her tall friend.

"Anyway," Alpha said, coming up to the teens. "Like I explained to Tracey, our biological scanners have been impeded by the strange magic and life energy Rita's last couple of monsters have emitted. Ergo, life energy and ethereal power can reverse the effects, since our computers and the Morphing Grid are mainly powered by the same continuous energy."

"Exactly, Alpha," Zordon supplied, nodding his head. "By focusing the energy in your Power Coins, I can combine some of my energy with yours to bolster our scanners again. I have no doubt Tracey will be returning soon, so in the meantime…"

Out of nowhere, the diamond-shaped read Monster Alarm rung out through the Command Center, piercing everyone's ears. Everyone instinctively turned to the Viewing Globe in the corner to see what the danger was. The sphere showed Goldar, Squatt, Baboo, and a squadron of Putties gathering near a woody clearing, preparing to attack unsuspecting joggers and bicyclists.

"Ay-yi-yi!" Alpha cried. "Rita's minions are massing at the forest on the edge of town!"

"Who are those freaks?" Misty asked loudly.

"Those are Squatt and Baboo, Rita's henchman and her master scientist," Zordon said. "Morph into action and be careful, for those two can be fiendishly crafty."

"Then let's go," Ash said. "It's Morphin Time!" With that, the teens raised their Power Morphers to the sky, evoking the energy of their Power Coins.

"Mastodon!"

"Pterodactyl!"

"Saber-Toothed Tiger!"

"Tyrannosaurus!"

There was no noise out in the desert, save for the calm, tandem breathing of Tracey and the Triceratops Dinozord. The boy was so immersed in the moment that he didn't even wonder how the Zord _could _breathe, when the silence was cut by the beeping of his Communicator.

"I read you, Zordon," Tracey announced, pressing the top button.

"Rita has sent down her court of monsters to attack Feron Grove. You must join the other Power Rangers at the forest immediately!"

"You got it," Tracey answered, drawing his Power Morpher and looking toward the Triceratops, which raised its head and cried out. The human nodded toward the robotic creature and said, "Thank you. It's Morphin Time!"

"Triceratops!"

In a matter of seconds, all five Mighty Morphin Power Rangers were together and teleported to the forest clearing where the monsters were. Putties were knocking people off of their bikes and tackling other passersby while Goldar stepped slowly toward them as they fell, sword in hand.

"Go get 'em, Goldar!" Squatt yelled, clapping his hands.

"Oh boy, oh boy!" Baboo chimed, trotting up to the edge of the woods, a box of vials in his arms. "Now let's see…"

Suddenly, battle cries cut through the air as the heroes touched down and immediately charged the Putty Patrol, subduing several baddies with chops, throws, and spin kicks.

"Move, move!" Black Ranger shouted to the people as he tossed another goon to the ground. "Get out of hereto somewhere safe!"

Terrified folks happily obliged and did their best to evade Goldar's fiery bolts as they fled to the city. While the Pink and Yellow Rangers took down more Putties with axe kicks and fast punches, the Blue and Red Rangers went after Goldar with their Blade Blasters drawn, striking at either side of the beast. At first, Goldar absorbed a few slashes, trying to keep up with the speedy duo. However, as Tracey and Ash went to attack again, Goldar caught their sidearms with his gilded blade and thrust up, stunning the Rangers. With a broad swipe of his sword, Goldar brought the two down and forced them further back with his eye beams.

"Ash! Tracey!" the others cried as they went to help their teammates. "You alright?"

"Yeah…" Ash growled, putting his blaster away.

"You're not going to get away this time, Goldar! I'll see to that!" Tracey roared, standing front and center with his fists clenched.

"Is that so, Blue Ranger?" the simian warrior scoffed, his fangs adorning a sinister smile. "Well I have someone I'd like you to meet who will show you how really pathetic you are!"

A flash of black light formed in the air, materializing into Shihan Hideous. He wore a gnarled black martial arts uniform, with the tears exposing disgusting purple scars.

"Ew…" Misty groaned. "They just keep getting uglier…"

The monster ignored the Yellow Ranger's insult, bowed, and introduced himself. "Osu! Shihan Hideous at your service, Rangers," he said in a guttural voice. "I host private fighting lessons, and it looks like I have my first student right here!"

The Blue Ranger looked directly at the creature that pointed right at him. The hero instantly bolted for the monster, but as soon as he got close to him, Shihan Hideous grappled his arm tightly and forced Tracey to his knees. The monster laughed and disappeared with his captive in the same black aura that brought him to the forest.

"What the?!" Ash called out, mesmerized by what he just saw.

"Tracey!" Lia screamed. "What did you do with him?!"

"It seems like they're jealous, Goldar," Squatt interrupted, coming away from Baboo, who was pouring some kind of liquid near the entrance to the deeper forest.

"But there's no need for that," Baboo said, pointing matter-of-factly at the Power Rangers. "We have a special guest for you guys as well!"

"What is he talking about? And what is he doing?" Brock asked. Just as the Power Rangers were ready to pounce on Rita's vassals, the black liquid Baboo poured out started to bubble violently, causing them to hold their positions. Within moments, a huge black boulder came rolling out of the tree-covered area, stopping right next to Goldar. He reached one of his menacing paws down to the rock, allowing a small, shiny scorpion to crawl up on his palm.

"You'll all love this surprise, twerps!" Goldar gleefully said.


	6. Sting of the Lady Warrior

_Hot… It's so hot…_

Tracey's eyes fluttered open to see bright whitish-blue light enveloping him and everything around him, and everything was quite a sight. As he groggily picked himself up, he saw towering mountains in the distance supported by verdant plains and illuminated by a blue-white sun. Looking down, Tracey saw a large, firm tatami mat below his feet, stained with the perspiration that dripped from his head. Gasping, he checked himself and saw that he was no longer morphed.

"What?" he uttered, checking his pockets. "My Morpher!"

A throaty chuckle interrupted Tracey's panic, and he turned to see Shihan Hideous at the far opposite end of the mat.

"You won't be needing that thing anymore," the monster said, flipping its reptilian head back to sway its ugly hair. "I got rid of it for you."

Tracey immediately went to his Communicator. "Power Rangers? Zordon? Alpha? Come in!"

"Hey hey hey!" Shihan Hideous rasped, slowly c-stepping his way toward the boy in the style of Shotokan karate. "No electronic devices allowed during practice! That stupid watch won't work in this dimension anyway."

_"Breathe. Relax. Attack." _Tracey told himself, clenching his fists. He then darted toward the monster, but stopped short of going to hit him, making Shihan Hideous miss tripping him with a leg sweep. Doubled back, Tracey countered with a reverse punch to the alien's left cheek as it kept swiveling to the right. Shihan Hideous grunted and grappled Tracey's leg as he was about to kick him, flipping him over his head. Tracey fell to the far edge of the mat, and when he peered up, he saw nothing but a black void on the edge of the surface. Shihan Hideous then picked the human up and levied two body punches and a rising block to his face, tossing him to the other side.

"Be careful there, young Ranger," the monster said calmly. "You don't want to fall out of the ring."

"No, but that's where I'm sending you!" Tracey shouted, charging Rita's soldier again, this time rolling to his adversary's side. He grabbed Shihan Hideous from the side, but the monster simply pivoted and fell back, crushing his foe under his weight.

"Typical underestimation of my talent…" Shihan Hideous rasped, pushing Tracey up and wrapping him up in a sleeper hold. The grip was tight, yet it wasn't putting any undue pressure on the boy's neck—but he was immobile. "I'm not just a striker. I love the grappling arts as well!"

"You're not going to win, lizard lips…" Tracey spoke, barely getting his words out.

"Don't interrupt your master while he's talking!" the creature snapped, tightening his hold and repressing the urge to sink his jagged teeth into his prey's neck. "You have me all wrong, Blue Ranger. I'm a nice fellow. Look at the wonderful scenery." He nodded toward the picturesque mountain landscape, the blue light shining as bright as ever.

"It's all about how you look at things," Shihan Hideous continued. Suddenly, one of the mountains became distorted, looking like it was going to reveal another picture. "They aren't always what they seem. Well, except for the destruction of your friends!"

At that moment, an image clearly appeared in front of the two, showing the other Power Rangers standing off against Goldar and his scorpion. Baboo and Squatt instantly disappeared in a sickly blue flash of light.

"Power Rangers," Goldar began, the scorpion from his palm and glowing bright orange. "I would like you to meet the lovely Scorpina!"

Magical sparks flew from the insect as it contorted itself into an adult-sized figure clad in scaly gold and silver armor that formed around its left arm and leg, a bejeweled bracelet on the right wrist, a breastplate anchored with black straps and red under-armor, and a large scorpion tail forming a battle helmet around the head. Instead of a monstrous visage, Scorpina had an angelic, humanlike face looking Japanese in origin, with long brown hair and deep red lips.

"I'm so glad to finally meet you, Power Rangers," she said sweetly as the Rangers got their guard up. "Too bad you won't feel the same way!" With a screech, Scorpina leapt high in the air and went for the Yellow Ranger, who barely dodged her flying kick. Misty tried to hit her with a right cross punch, but the lady warrior deflected the blow and the Ranger's other two ensuing blows, knocking her back with a barbed arm.

"I got her!" Pink Ranger yelled, coming up and meeting Scorpina with a fast jump-spin crescent kick. Scorpina rolled with the kick and landed on her feet, amazing Lia. Lia flipped past her enemy and tried to surprise her with a reverse elbow strike, but was taken down with a double-legged sweep and kicked to the side.

"Lia!" Black Ranger cried. Before Brock could come to her aid, Goldar barreled into him, sending him to the grassy surface. Growling, the menace raised his sword high to impale the hero.

"Hey, ugly!" Red Ranger called out. Goldar swiftly turned his head and raised his sword in front of his eyes, darting it across his body to deflect Ash's rounds of Blade Blaster fire. Meanwhile, Brock recovered and summoned his Mammoth Axe from the Morphing Grid, jumping into the air, somersaulting, and bringing his weapon down on Goldar.

"How's that for a surprise?" Brock jested. At that moment, Scorpina screamed and caught his attention. She now wielded what appeared to be a bow minus the strings—the object actually being an angular blade with dark studs and three points at the north end, south end, and the middle jutting out. She clashed with the Black Ranger's black and yellow axe, moving past him and cutting him across the chest twice. Ash joined the fray to assist his comrade, but Scorpina flicked her wrist and slashed the Red Ranger across his helmet, almost tearing his head off.

By then, Goldar had recovered and regrouped with Scorpina near the edge of the woods again, the Power Rangers backing up to the clearing, trying to steady themselves.

"Now…" Scorpina said, her weapon beginning to glow. "Feel my sting!" She flung the sword right at the Power Rangers, assailing them with a barrage of bolts and energy that brought them down, making them scream.

Back in Shihan Hideous' dimension, all Tracey could do was watch as his friends were losing. He could barely gasp in horror as he was still locked in the martial arts monster's grip.

"You see now?" Shihan Hideous asked. "There's nothing you can do to save them…"


	7. Estimation

As Tracey was forced to watch his friends fall, his captor kept the pressure steady around his neck, but started to bend him downward.

"I'm so glad you enjoyed the show, weakling," Shihan Hideous snarled, slowly forcing Tracey down and increasing the pressure. "But it looks like you won't get to see the end of it…"

Tracey closed his eyes as he saw the other Power Rangers writhe in pain. Hoping it wouldn't be the last thing he saw, he swept one of his legs back and caught the monster by one of his shins, bringing him to the ground. Tracey broke free from Shihan Hideous' hold and scrambled to another side of the mat—the one featuring the inter-dimensional image, the mountain landscape, and the bright blue light.

"You're right, Shihan," Tracey said, coughing and clutching his throat as the creep got up. "I'm not gonna see the end of your little show. I'm canceling it!"

"Typical foolish hero banter!" the reptilian beast shot back. "So you'll meet a typical foolish end!" He squared off with Tracey, circling around the tatami mat until he lunged forward with a fake kick, trying to surprise the boy with another grab. Tracey was ready, however, bringing his knee up to Shihan Hideous' gut and flipping him to the mat.

"You…How dare you!" the enemy rasped, rolling over to his side. "You're the weakest human being I've ever come across!"

"Looks like your perspective is skewed," Tracey said, looking for a way out. "I just can't let myself get rattled by weirdos like you, and if I do, I'll always have a plan."

"That means nothing!" Shihan Hideous answered, squaring off with the boy again. "You won't get far without your powers anyway!"

Tracey kept circling around, keeping his eye on the bright blue light and smiling. He then zigzagged to try to get to the light. Shihan Hideous hurriedly gripped him across his neck and face, trying to force him back. His gnarly nails dug into Tracey's skin, drawing lines of blood. As the monster tried to rock back and forth to send the young man down, Tracey flowed with the monster's momentum and flung the monster and himself down into the black void, only to meet a hard surface.

"Huh? Another trick…" Tracey muttered, internally chuckling at the false scare Shihan Hideous had provided. He sprinted to the corner of the room where the light was by the tall mountain. As he tried to reach the beacon, he was caught from behind by Shihan Hideous, who threw three heavy fists at his back.

"Simple mistake…" Shihan Hideous droned, stepping over Tracey's prostrate form. "Never turn your back on your opponent."

Tracey grimaced and breathed deep, scrambling up too fast for the creature to keep up with him and jumping up on his shoulders. Tracey then leapt up a little and grabbed the beacon of blue light, plummeting down to the black ground. He opened his hand to reveal his Power Morpher, the Power Coin still shimmering. Shihan Hideous growled in frustration and tottered back to the mat.

"Another simple mistake: never underestimate your opponent. Or at least hide his Morpher a little better," Tracey taunted."

"Yes, but you still can't escape this dimension!" Shihan Hideous cried. He opened his ugly maw and made a guttural noise, spewing a huge plume of fire and disappearing from sight.

The flames began to tower way over Tracey's head, sure to consume the whole space. Tracey whipped his head around to see the image of the Rangers fighting Goldar and Scorpina.

"Where's Tracey, Goldar?!" Lia snapped, forcing the edge of her Ptera Bow into Goldar's blade.

"You'd better give him back now!" Brock demanded, grappling with Scorpina.

"Don't you _ever _tell me what to do, Ranger!" the lady warrior retorted, easily flipping the Black Ranger aside. "I have more important things to do." And with that, Scorpina materialized into an orange hue of energy and disappeared.

Goldar parried the Pink Ranger's weapon and cut her down at the shoulder. Yellow Ranger Misty leapt onto Goldar much like a Saber-Toothed Tiger, but taken down after nearly tearing into his gilded shoulders.

"Only Shihan Hideous knows where he is," Goldar laughed.

Ash had his Tyranno Sword at the ready, preparing to duel with Goldar, when suddenly a black flash of light cut in between the two, and Shihan Hideous reemerged on Earth, pummeling the Red Ranger with two butterfly kicks.

"And you won't ever see your little blue friend again!" the creature screamed. "But let's cheer you all up by taking this party to the city!"

"Yes…" Goldar agreed, and the two villains vanished as well, leaving the Power Rangers to follow them to Feron Grove proper.

Crackling, sparkling ethereal energy dissipated, and Tracey stood firm in the flaming parallel dimension, protected again by his superpowered suit and helmet. He continued to face the superimposed image even as the parties had left the forest and the flames were fast approaching.

_"Like I said," _Tracey thought to himself, putting his palms together. _"Don't underestimate me."_


	8. Battle Royal

In downtown Feron Grove, divide and conquer was the name of the game, and at the time villainy had the upper hand. In addition to Shihan Hideous, Goldar, and Scorpina, a new batch of Putty Patrollers joined the city scene. The Power Rangers were doing their best to dispatch the threat, getting a handle on the Putties, but every time they got close to Goldar and Scorpina, Shihan Hideous would come out of thin air and repulse them with his combat skills, knocking them back with a flurry of kicks, series of offensive blocks, or several submission holds they barely escaped from.

Zordon's warriors were eventually forced to regroup near the center of a shopping complex that the gilded duo was closing in on, gritting through the pain. Lia raised her Blade Blaster and fired at Scorpina, only to have the villainess block the pink rays with her sword, almost sending them into fleeing shoppers.

"Man, nothing we do is stopping them!" Lia shouted, holstering her laser pistol.

"I say forget the weapons. It's time for some crystal power!" Ash said, bringing his palms together.

"Wait!" Misty cautioned, stopping him, pointing to the crowds trying to escape the monsters. "There are civilians still trying to get out. We could accidentally hurt them."

Suddenly, a black flash of light appeared again, revealing a grinning Shihan Hideous.

"Yes, and don't even think of getting close to Goldar and Scorpina!" the creature spoke, coming closer. "Otherwise, you'll have to deal with me!"

"We can't take much more from this guy," Brock said, holding his left leg, which Shihan Hideous had previously trapped in a grapevine lock; he barely had time to get out of the hold and avoid Goldar decapitating him through the silver mouthpiece on his helmet. "He just keeps blocking everything!"

"See if you can block this!" the monster challenged. He opened his rotten mouth to expel another wall of flames meant to engulf the Power Rangers, when a flash of blue light came in between the fire and the targets. Tracey stood with his Dino Crystal in hand, thrusting an open palm forward and meeting the inferno with a huge blast of desert sand, quickly putting it out.

"What? No!" Shihan Hideous screamed, holding his head in shock.

"Impossible!" Goldar growled, stopping his rampage and vanishing in a burning plume. Scorpina, a calm look on her face, folded her arms and dissipated once more.

"Tracey!" Red Ranger shouted as he and the others went up to their friend. "You made it!"

"Where were you?" Yellow Ranger asked, excited to see her teammate safe.

"I had a little training session in Shihan's alternate dimension, but things were getting heated like they are here," Blue Ranger explained, slapping hands with the Black and Pink Rangers.

"You won't escape me again!" Shihan Hideous snarled at the huddled Rangers, who appeared to be whispering something, sliding forward fast with his arms in a defensive position.

"Good thing he's such a hothead," Tracey remarked, who jumped high in the air and hopped off of the alien's shoulders. Surprised, he turned to face the Blue Ranger, who screamed, "Now!" The other Power Rangers then sprang into action. Ash and Brock struck the disoriented Shihan Hideous with simultaneous punches, and Misty and Lia leapt off of their shoulders and clobbered him with falling axe kicks. While the beast was stunned, Tracey came in to bring him down with a huge jump front kick to the jaw.

"Alright!" Blue Ranger shouted, getting the group back together. "Great plan, guys!"

Before the team could celebrate, or meet Shihan Hideous with another attack, they scrambled back as an object plummeted from the sky and pierced the pavement. It was Rita's wand, and before long Shihan Hideous was swallowed up in a thick fog, growing as tall as a Greek titan. The rejuvenated monster began to laugh and raise his feet to stomp the city.

"Dinozord Power!" Ash immediately yelled.

In a few moments, the five colossal machine beasts could be seen charging into Feron Grove from their various terrains, roaring and screeching with fervor. The Power Rangers took off from the ground and landed on the heads of their Dinozords, dropping into their cockpits and assuming the controls.

"Tyrannosaurus, powered up!"

"Mastodon, armored and ready!"

"Triceratops, focused and charging ahead!"

"Saber-Toothed Tiger, at full speed!"

"Pterodactyl, climbing the skies and with a target in sight!"

Pink Ranger indeed had her finger on the trigger and her sights set on Goldar, who had gathered a few more Putties to try and terrorize the downtown area again since the Rangers were in their Zords. Police had tried to barricade the area and usher civilians away, but the gorilla-like henchman and his goons were breaking through. However, the cadre of creeps was sent flying as Pterodactyl Dinozord fired crackling bolts at them. The Putties were hit directly and turned into charred clay while Goldar narrowly avoided getting totally crisped, choosing to retreat once again.

As Shihan Hideous began his gigantic, dangerous stroll through Feron Grove, Triceratops and Saber-Toothed Tiger cornered him on his east and west sides. Misty's mech snarled and raised its cannon-tail, preparing to fire.

"Aha! That strategy, eh?" Shihan Hideous uttered, flexing his muscles. A pulsing purple hue overtook his body, but he stood rooted in a sitting stance, beckoning his attacker to make a move. Saber-Toothed Tiger complied and shot a yellow energy blast directly at the martial arts master's chest, but it bounced off of his black jacket and dissipated into nothing,

"What? It didn't work?" Yellow Ranger asked, gasping.

"I'm getting a lock-on!" Blue Ranger shouted, pressing a button to make the Triceratops' two silver horns jettison from its head and wrap around the monster's arms. Meanwhile, Black Ranger analyzed the Shihan's defenses as he closed in with Mastodon.

"His body is now ray-shielded," Brock reported. "Projectile beams won't work, but maybe a freeze will!"

Mastodon Dinozord made an elephant-like sound and raised its trunk high, blasting subzero air at the struggling foe. Even though Shihan Hideous' torn uniform was covered with frost, he laughed crazily and, swiveling his hips, hurled the Triceratops Dinozord around his body, striking and nearly toppling a few buildings, but sending Tracey's vehicle into Misty's. Tyrannosarus Dinozord bellowed with prehistoric fury and went to launch its sky-high dropkick. However, Shihan Hideous caught Ash's Zord by its left arm and tossed it into the Mastodon, sending the two crashing to the ground.

"Guys!" Lia cried, steering the Pterodactyl high over the creature to join the other Rangers. Attacking right now would do no good.

"All projectiles are useless against me now!" Shihan Hideous chortled. "And this five-on-one thing you've got going is way too easy."

"He's right!" Tracey called out over his communications, finally retracting the chains connecting his Zord's horns. Misty, Ash, and Brock were slowly helping their Zords recover. "We need to combine our power!"

"One on one is always fair!" Ash said, shifting his controls again. "Switching to Megazord Battle Mode!"

Tyrannosaurus instantly sprung up and charged Shihan Hideous, who was primed to counterattack. But instead of striking, the robot hopped right over Rita's flunky just as Triceratops and Saber-Toothed Tiger rose up to form left and right legs respectively. Ash's Dinozord contorted its legs and arms back and folded its big red tail behind the black Mastodon's hind legs, which formed the back plate and powerful arms.

"Megazord sequence has been initiated!" a synthetic voice announced as Pterodactyl flew in to complete the transformation, assuming its position as the chest plate just as the Tyrannosaurus' head folded into itself to reveal a more robotic-looking face.

"Megazord Activated!" the voice boomed as the super robot snapped into a battle stance. Shihan Hideous growled and lumbered forward seeing this.

"Wait for it…" Ash quietly commanded. The Power Rangers breathed deep and anticipated the next move, getting the Megazord ready to rebuff the being with a swift kick. Suddenly, Shihan Hideous became virtually nothing but a blur, shifting swiftly behind the Megazord and wrapping his burly arms around its neck.

"I've fought in your arena long enough…" Shihan Hideous said, a black aura surrounding them both. "Time for you to visit mine…"


	9. The Fiery Final Match

The deep blue sky, lush vegetation, and numerous buildings of Feron Grove vanished as Shihan Hideous worked his magic. In a few seconds, with Megazord in tow, he had returned to his personal dimension. The calm mountain scenery Shihan Hideous created glowed a furious red. His wall of embers now formed a huge ring around the whole space, the two combatants on the center tatami mat.

"Aw man, this place again!" Tracey said, trying his best to help the Megazord escape the sleeper hold that was crunching its neck. By then, the monster had one of his feet firmly on the giant mech's left leg, almost snapping the Triceratops in two.

"Be careful, Rangers," Ash warned the others, trying to wrap his head around the situation and the strange atmosphere. "One wrong move and we're gonna tumble!"

"We've got to do something!" Brock shouted, going over his controls, finally deciding on two black buttons. "Wait… Hold on guys! Raising rear shields!" By pressing the left button, the Megazord's rear shield power went up 30%. By pressing the right, two volleys of cannon fire launched from two cannons mounted on the back legs of the Mastodon Dinozord, startling Shihan Hideous and rebounding to hit Megazord, causing sparks and the whole robot to skid away from the assailant.

"Whoa, that's gonna do some damage!" Misty said, trying to stabilize the energy flow within the Megazord.

"Yeah, but we're free," Brock cut in. "Now let's get him!"

Now pulsing with energy, the Megazord stepped forward to meet Shihan Hideous, throwing a massive pair of fists at the beast that easily blocked them to the side and met the machine's chest with a reverse elbow. The Power Rangers then guided Megazord to duck an incoming spin kick and retaliate with one of its own with the right leg. Though he backed up for a moment, Shihan Hideous hastily slid up to Megazord and sunk his teeth into the right shoulder, causing more chaos and combustion. He then backhanded Megazord's face and tossed it to the edge of the mat.

"Stabilize!" Red Ranger ordered as the Rangers gasped and tried to back the prone Megazord away from the edge. "We can't survive that fall!"

"Don't worry. It's just a ruse!" Blue Ranger said. "That floor's solid."

Lia scanned her eyes across the dark void that was gradually becoming smaller thanks to the advancing flames. Something seemed off.

"Analyze depth!" Pink Ranger said. Her internal helmet scanner began to calibrate the true downward distance of the void, an infinity sign appearing in her HUD. "Not this time, Tracey. That's just a bottomless pit made just for us!"

"How insightful you are at the end…" Shihan Hideous jested, sinister glee in his speech. "I won't be making the same misjudgments in battle again. And don't even think of using those stupid crystals to escape. You'll only save yourselves while I throw Megazord into my barbecue pit! Your powers and your little toys are useless, and you're even more useless without them!"

"That's where you're wrong, Shihan!" Blue Ranger roared back. "Our powers are extensions of ourselves! We as regular humans can beat you no matter what you do to us!"

"Terrible last words, you fool!" Shihan Hideous spat out, warily judging his opponents' distance. "Get up and try fighting me!"

The Power Rangers obliged the evil one's challenge, raising the Megazord up to its feet in a fighting stance.

"He's right about escaping to regroup," Lia reported. "We could only get ourselves out with the Dino Crystals. And our communications link can't reach Zordon from here."

Tracey compared biological and energy scans he just conducted with the help of his HUD and control panel. "Then it'll take a massive combination of energy to escape. If we can defeat him and combine his residual magical energy with something from our power, we can likely break out of here." He took another look at Shihan Hideous and said, "And it looks like I know a way."

Ash, who had his eyes on Shihan Hideous the whole time, turned to look at Tracey and nodded. "I think I know what you mean. Let's do it!"

Megazord squared off with the monster once more, bringing its arms into itself. It took one step forward with the right leg, and Shihan Hideous charged, attempting to grab the mechanized fighter again. This time, Megazord slipped its fingers under two of the tears in Shihan Hideous' jacket and threw him to the side.

"Focus the energy of your crystals!" Red Ranger yelled. All five heroes formed their Dino Crystals and kept them locked between their hands. The crystals glowed brightly and issued white light through the Megazord's arms, calling forth the Power Sword from Earth.

Shihan Hideous picked himself off of the mat, which was only a few moments from having a meeting with the fire he spawned. Enraged, he turned around to engage Megazord again, only to be met by a huge diagonal slash that nearly tore his chest open. He staggered away from the Megazord and its silver blade, only to be met by two more blows.

"Augh…" Shihan Hideous groaned, sputtering and clutching his body. "You will not defeat me or Mistress Rita…I am her champion and the most powerful fighter ever created!"

The Megazord, now back in the center of the mat, rose the Power Sword one more time, slowly going to levy another attack. However, Shihan Hideous smirked and caught the weapon with both hands, wrenching it from the robot's grip and tossing it to the other side of the mat.

"Now I have you!" he screeched, lumbering forward again.

"Lightning Plasma!" the Power Rangers cried. Megazord brought its arms to the three horns on its head and brought forth several lightning bolts that struck past the towering flames and at Shihan Hideous' feet, making him hop about in pain. With a crazed look in his bugged-out eyes, the monster screamed and slid in for another attack while Megazord apparently stood to recharge. However, the Megazord jumped up and grabbed Shihan Hideous by the shoulders, digging the Triceratops' horns and the Saber-Toothed Tiger's fangs into the tears in his clothing. Megazord fell and rolled backward, pushing Shihan Hideous with all its might. The villain's tattered clothing tore even more as he catapulted through the air, yelling madly as he passed through the wall of enclosing fire and into the abyss.

"Quickly, the Power Sword!" Misty urged. The group maneuvered the Megazord into a sprint to recover its saber, nearly skidding off the mat and into the pit. Seconds later, a loud explosion rang out several feet below, a strange aura and sparks signaling Shihan Hideous' defeat.

"Plasma Slash!" the Power Rangers roared. Megazord raised the Power Sword high, filled to the brim with cosmic light and electricity, and flung a razor-thin beam at the explosion. An even larger explosion emanated from the scene, tearing a hole in the dimension. The Megazord raced toward the other edge of the arena, pulsing with more shield energy, and leapt through the flames toward the opening, where sunlight and fresh air were waiting for the heroes.

Back at the Command Center, there was even more bright light illuminating the fortress than ever before. Five colored lightning bolts coming from the Rangers' Power Coins mingled with energy radiating from the two golden columns that stood on either side of Zordon, and that power enveloped all of the computers. A bright flash of light later, and everything was back to normal.

"Our bioscanners are fully operational once again!" Alpha happily chirped. The teens chuckled with joy and patted their robot friend on the back.

"Yes. Congratulations once again, Power Team," Zordon said. "You managed a hectic crisis situation and found your own way out of a nearly impenetrable prison."

"Yeah, with big props to Tracey," Lia added, smiling wide at the boy, who shrugged his shoulders. "You stood up to that monster and really helped us figure things out."

"Yeah" Brock said, hitting him on the shoulder. "That monkey flip move was a big risk, but it really paid off."

"Thanks guys," Tracey said quietly, his face getting a little red. "But it took all of us to beat them today. We all put our heads together and came up with the winning strategy."

"What are you so quiet for?" Misty asked.

"Yeah," Ash said. "It always takes the team, but you really came through today. Take the credit!"

As the teens laughed, Zordon smiled as well. "Your friends are correct, Tracey. You showed initiative and cool intellect even when separated from your team and your powers."

"I just had to quiet myself internally," Tracey explained. "I'll get better at fighting with time, but spending some time out in the desert with the Triceratops helped me better grasp that the powers and weapons are only extensions of ourselves. We're not weak without them or our Zords; they only make us stronger."

"Right on, man," Ash said, high-fiving him. "Well, it's sure been a long day, and I _could _eat a whole Triceratops right now."

"I hear that," Brock agreed as the teens began to leave. "I just hope the lunch line won't be too full today."

"Yeah, school after a monster attack…" Ash droned, stretching. "Makes sense, right?"

"Totally," Misty said, yawning. "As much sense as no military showing up that first time…"

"It hasn't closed for one yet," Lia piped up, making everyone laugh again. "We'll see you later!" she said to Zordon and Alpha.

"Very well, Rangers," the good wizard spoke. "Let the power protect you."

Later that day, in Rita's Moon Palace, the Empress of Evil was just finishing something herself: whacking Finster and Squatt over the head with her staff.

"That's the last time I let you two work together to create a monster!" she screamed at them. "A superpowered martial arts master that can't defeat five children?!

"Hey, uh…it was Finster's fault!" Squatt protested, ducking another strike.

"Don't you even start!" the goat-being said, pointing a finger at him.

"That is enough!" Rita demanded, turning away to face Scorpina and Goldar. Scorpina stood at attention with a devilish smile while Goldar stood away in a corner with his arms crossed. "Are you ready for the next phase?"

"Of course, ma'am," Scorpina said, drawing her blade. "The Power Rangers won't recover from _this _attack."

Suddenly, Scorpina grimaced and turned her head slowly. A white-gloved hand was gripping her shoulder, coming from the direction of one of the castle's dark corridors. She had seen that type of hand before, but instead of diamonds, the glove was adorned with green spikes, a golden band wrapped around the upper part of it.

"Excuse me," a dark male voice said. "But I believe the empress was talking to _me._"

**NEXT TIME ON POWER RANGERS**

The teens discover that somebody has broken into the Command Center, Alpha 5 is disabled and Zordon is nowhere to be found. While the Power Rangers scramble to find the culprit responsible, Rita sends Scorpina back to Earth to contend with them, and she is not alone. Just who is responsible for wrecking our heroes' base, and how can they stop this unbelievable threat? Found out next time on _Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Evil Green Chronicles Part I- On Our Own!_

**AUTHOR NOTE**

I understand that some of you fans of the _Power Rangers_ and _Pokémon_ franchises may wonder why I devoted one whole episode to Tracey, a character with virtually no development and no need to be anywhere in his native series, let alone make him a Power Ranger. While he only showed twinges of intelligence and hardiness during his tenure, I always envisioned him as a potentially strong member of a team given a chance to develop. I hope I have done that vision some justice here for a first try. Thanks for reading!


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